Hub Community School Model
Like community schools, the underlying principles of this model are also based on the original community school concept that was developed in Flint, Michigan in the 1930s and first implemented in BC in 1971. The key difference is that the coordinators work with more than one school, often in geographic proximity, and may have a team of assistants or program support staff with specific expertise.
Engagement of parents, students and community in the hub model of community schools is based on the common principles of authentic involvement, respect, mutual reciprocity, leadership development and the inclusion of everyone who has a stake in the process at all levels as appropriate.
Details
Programs and Services
- Schools provide regular academic programs to day students and operate additional programs beyond the school day and school year for all ages.
- Programs/services related to recreation/leisure, social/personal growth and future educational opportunities may be offered, often with a focus on vulnerable students.
- Integration of the regular day-school programs and community programs may become almost seamless.
Management and Governance
- Community school coordinators are school district employees who are accountable to their school administration; the school district provides human resources/accounting services.
- Generally, school districts have Letters of Understanding with major partnership agencies involved in community schools.
- Each hub of schools will work within their geographic area to meet locally with representatives from the community, school team staff, senior administration, parents, agencies and other representatives from the community. Meeting regularly, the group provides direction on local needs and ideas, as well as feedback.
Staffing
- Coordinators, support staff and programmers are assigned to a hub school but work with additional schools so that most or all schools in the district can have an expectation of some support. A variety of criteria are used to allocate support and run programs in particular schools.
- Coordinators may have a background in, for example, social work, youth and child care work, or community development. They are able to collaborate with school staff, the community and municipal bodies, as well as the ability to develop, evaluate and supervise programs and have good overall administrative abilities.
- Staff team members may have specialized skills, for example, teachers with specialized learning expertise and programmers with a recreation background may be part of the team.
Integration
- Major agencies may be integrated at the school district governance level. This could include city, school district, mental health agencies, RCMP, Ministry of Children and Family Development, the United Way and others. At each hub site, local agencies are invited to be part of community school programming and to provide services and opportunities to the children and families of that hub site.
- Community schools/agencies determine how to weave together an array of local services for children, youth and families.
Parent Involvement
- Parents are involved through formal methods, asset mapping and informal methods such as personal conversations and parent meetings.
- Parents are connected with a variety of services that community schools and/or various partner agencies offer. Information is provided to meet the needs of and desires for services and programs through a variety of methods including newsletters, e-mails, posters and personal discussions.
Student Involvement
- Senior students often have the chance to design and deliver their own programs to elementary aged audiences (e.g., tutoring and assisting with various recreation programs and events).
- Students are involved by providing input into choices of programs and services as well as providing feedback on progam improvements.
Community Involvement
- Each community school hub is designed to meet community needs and build a sense of community.
- Each hub works with its partners in the area to assess needs and determine strengths, resources and services. Service gaps are also identified to aid in the development of programs and resources that serve school families and the larger community.
- Schools in each hub act as a gateway for information and resources, so that families have easy access to opportunities for recreation/leisure, social/personal growth and expanded education.
- Community members, including seniors and post secondary students, are viewed as community assets and invited to be part of the programming.
Partnerships
- This model involves working with partners to determine the school’s and community’s needs and who can/how to meet these needs best.
- Partners include non-profit agencies, public agencies, private donors and businesses (see Integration). Community schools provide space and connections with families. Agencies provide programs and resources to meet the needs of families and help schools to reach their goals.
- Partnerships are mutually beneficial. Community school staff may sit on boards of partner agencies to build partnership capacity.
Evaluation
- Specific evaluation processes vary within each school district and among hubs within a school district. On both a formal and an informal basis, staff continually evaluate all programs to determine their quality and ensure that program goals are met. For example, in Vancouver and Surrey the evaluation of 10–20 percent of all programs involves pre- and post-testing to determine whether the intended impacts have been achieved.
Sustainability
- Funding is typically a combination of tax-based support from the local school district and municipal or regional bodies, along with grants from foundations and gaming authorities. User fees may also provide significant funding. Significant leveraging of public funds is common.
- Vancouver has over 200 funding partnerships and Surrey has key partnerships with the Cities of Surrey and White Rock, the United Way of the Lower Mainland and multiple Surrey-based organizations.
Examples
- The hub model was first implemented in Vancouver School District in 2004 and then in Surrey in 2007.
- Britannia is BC’s best known and most comprehensive community school. Founded in the 1970s with the opening of Britannia Community Services Centre, it became part of Vancouver’s new hub model in 2002. The result is an integrated service delivery model for seven neighbourhood schools that benefit from an established formal partnership agreement between the Vancouver School Board, City of Vancouver, Vancouver Park Board and the Vancouver Public Library. Direct governance is provided by the Vancouver School Board while operational guidelines, direction and support are based on a local committee governance model.
